Do you know that there was a recent news that involved a big-name ionic air purifier manufacturer? This publication had claimed that the tested air purifier system by this manufacturer removed very little matter, but instead it significantly raise ozone levels in the room. So is there truth in the matter? Well, unluckily for this ionic air purifier company and thousands of customers, the judge for the case found the publications' claims were true. Hence some ionic air purifier systems can raise ozone levels.
Here are some points about the possible danger that air purifiers poses in your home... or is there any real danger at all?
What is Ozone? Ozone is found naturally in the earth's atmosphere and it protects us from the sun's harmful rays. In your house, however, ozone produced by air purifiers can be harmful. Companies selling these air purifiers claim they are using the ozone at safe levels to clean the air, but the truth is that the same ozone emitted by the air purifier can cause respiratory illness. Are you willing to risk your health?
Damage to Your Home and Health Studies have also found that ozone can cause rubbers, upholstery, and paint to deteriorate more quickly. If ozone can eventually crumble the paint on your walls and the material covering your sofa, what can it do to your lung tissue? Do you really want to put your money into an air purifier that can eventually turn healthy lungs into a big mess? Even if an ionic air purifier is only a "little" dangerous, there is still some danger there.
Overexposure To Ozone One of the problems with these air purifiers is that the unit has no control to prevent over-exposure to the ozone. Sure, the ozone can kill the spores in the air, but the ozone can also cause problems. As levels of ozone rise in your room, the air purifier continues working and pumping out more ozone. Ultimately, the level of ozone moves from safe to unsafe in just a matter of time.
The Other Side To be fair Being fair , we really need to consider two sides to the story. Some will say the ozone produced by an ionic air purifier is only a danger if you use it in an enclosed room. You realize they may be right; perhaps the ionic air purifier isn't so bad. It's the use of the word "may" that might cause you concern. If there is a risk there in the first place, why play the odds with something as simple as an ionic air purifier?
In essence, the air purifier you are trusted and depended on to remove irritants from the air are not working. Your allergies or asthma are now irritating your lungs even more due to the ozone. While allergens are being removed, a new, possibly deadlier irritant is replacing the air you breathe. Why run an air purifier, specifically an ionic air purifier, if you are making the condition worse? Think about it! Why risk your life with an air purifier that might be making your symptoms worsen? It's a waste of your money. It is also a bigger risk in the long run.
Thus with the given reasons above, getting a HEPA air purifier might be a better choice. Although they are more expensive, these air purifiers help reduce allergens in the air without adding any potentially dangerous things to your environment that might harm you or your family.
There are many electronic stores which now sell ozone generators as air purifiers. The manufacturers of these ozone generators also claim that the device is effective against air pollution and there need not be any worries as to how safe it is. However, there are many health organizations across America including the American Lung Association which have claimed that ozone can be seriously harmful to our health and these devices should never be sold disguised as air purifiers.
The ones who are in the business of ozone purifiers claim that ozone is like activated oxygen or pure air. Their intention is to position ozone as a healthier version of oxygen. But we must remember what we learnt in chemistry when we were in school, that is, ozone is a completely different chemical from oxygen and it is toxic, especially when we inhale it in.
The molecular structure of ozone and oxygen are pretty similar though. While ozone is composed of three atoms of oxygen, oxygen itself has just two. Again an ozone molecule is not very stable by itself and readily reacts with other substances. This is because the third oxygen atom in ozone acts as a free radical. It readily dissociates from the other two to react with another substance. The remaining two are released in the air forming oxygen.
The working of an ozone purifier is based on this principle. The free radical reacts with the organic substances present in the air while the other two atoms forming oxygen purify the air. Although the logic seems pretty strong, there is one gaping hole in it as is rightly pointed out by many health experts.
Their main contention is that there is no guarantee that the ozone being emitted from the device is not breathed in by the user. And if some one breathes in ozone then the free radical now has no option but to react with the organic substances present in our body. This is potentially very harmful to our body. There ca be severe consequences because of this. If you inhale ozone you can actually damage your lungs.
So if you were thinking of getting an ozone purifier, think again. In any case there is plenty of oxygen in the air and we don't need any more. All we got to do is to ensure that the air we breathe in is free of these particulates. And this can be achieved by other purifiers as well.
Both Lesley Chew & Jason Uvios are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lesley Chew has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Interview Questions and belly fat. Lesley Chew is a successful webmaster and publisher of health related articles. Visit to find out more on the. Lesley Chew's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
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